Crystallize
by PIRATE DE FLEUR
Summary: Post Crystal Bearers. When Cloud crashes onto the beach near the Selkie Guild - two people stumble across him. They heal him, and soon after split up to find their respective purposes. One's to find Layle; Two's to help find a way for Cloud to go home.
1. Author's Note

**A/N:** Story making hasn't been kind to me lately… Anyways, I've always been curious about the world of the Crystal Chronicles, but as I have a penchant for adding Cloud _somewhere_, I decided to make this a cross-over. Woo.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own either Final Fantasy VII or Crystal Chronicles. If I did, Leo would talk and Layle wouldn't be only referred to as Crystal Bearer by Keiss.

As it wouldn't be good to add elements inside of this story, I have put a glossary of sorts here. It'll explain who the main characters are, but there is also an important note on here as well.

Cloud Strife – Main Character

Layle – Main Character

Corvus Glade – Supporting Character (OC)

Genesis Rhapsodos – Supporting Character

Leo & Chime – Supporting Characters

**Other characters will appear in this story as well. If you would like, an OC of your own could make a brief cameo or become a major character in a scene(s). Just PM me. Thanks.**

**The first chapter is almost done, so any OCs you would like to appear will either appear in chapter 2 or later.**


	2. Prologue

**A/N:** Perchance it was fate you came across this? The question is: Was it serendipity or plain bad karma? Let's hope it's the former, people. I wanted to add some myths into the FF universe – other than the typical Flan or Tonberry. So, merman and mermaids, etc. shall appear in this story. ^^

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><p>A blonde-haired man crashed into the watery depths of the ocean. It rippled and faint waves came off of it as Cloud Strife sank. Why was Cloud sinking, you may ask? The Highwind had been attacked. Furious hacks had scratched and dismantled the machine as soon as Sephiroth – the one-winged angel - had come in contact with them. Cloud had tried to fend him off, but in the end, he was thrown off the large airship – a melancholy laugh filling the air as the short swordsman fell.<p>

It was only thanks to the mako inside of his body that Cloud was still alive. Even so, how the water slapped his skin with such brutal force left him winded. The only thing that kept the leader of AVALANCHE from sinking was the thought of his friends being in danger; Sephiroth having gone inside of the Highwind when the blonde fell. Gathering his wits, Cloud swam north. There wasn't a land mass in sight and that fact was discouraging, to say the least.

Hours past, night fell, and dawn was approaching. Cloud's energy was spent, and there was still not a single block of land within a ten mile radius. His eyes, legs, and arms all stung, the Buster Sword on his back not making his journey any easier. Oh how he wished he could take a break, or drink the salt water of the ocean.

'_Either that, or have gills,'_ the warrior thought. Cloud didn't dare chuckle at it though; the fear of drinking salt water ever apparent in his mind. Mako didn't fare well if touched by a combination of salt and water. It was the reason why most of his meals were flavorless nowadays, too.

Another hour passed, and Cloud was slowly – but surely – starting to sink. He couldn't feel his muscles anymore, a sting worse than being impaled by a 7 foot kantana erupted every time he moved. In the shadows, fins and tails ruptured the calm water, unnoticed by Cloud. Arms pushed up, and the creatures finally revealed themselves.

The females in the group were the epitome of beauty. Their faces were fair – not a wrinkle or pimple was on it. Their hair looked of silk; a combination of fiery red hair and black wrapped in braids. Their tails were either emerald green or luminescent pink.

The males screamed masculinity. Lean, but firm muscles decorated their skin; hair ragged even when wet. Their fins were either navy blue or a deep purple. A permanent leer graced their features as they swam up to Cloud

The small group of mermaids and mermen dashed towards Cloud – his senses dulled; not being able to notice them. Only when they tackled the short swordsman did Cloud's instincts take over. He thrashed in the water – shaking off many of his 'attackers'. However, his struggling in the water only decreased his dwindling strength, and so he sank. Sinking down… being grabbed by the arm… saved; a warm kiss to his mouth – a crystal slipping inside of the leader of AVALANCHE's body.

He fell into unconsciousness and when he would wake, Cloud would be on the land – relaxing on the warm sand, a pure black crystal mark on his right palm.

_Even if the morrow is barren of promises, nothing shall forestall my return…_

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><p>"Olive, what should we do with him?" Two people, a Selkie and a Yuke, conversed on the warm sands of the beach. Overlooking the blonde-haired man on the blue water, Olive the Selkie replied.<p>

"We can't leave him here. The miasma will be coming soon, and leaving him out to die would be cruel." Her long strands of brown hair shined in the moonlight; a hand always shifting – touching the long dagger at her belt. Her clothing was typical to the Selkie kind, the white fur keeping her warm. Not a scar marred her girlish features which was a miracle if you considered the amount of times she tripped in the amidst of battle

"Are you suggesting we bring him to the hideout?" Corvus asked again. Golden Yuke armor covered him – a black cape behind his useless wings. A bright crystal glow erupted in the armored chest; a strange quality that brought much unwanted attention from the creatures that appeared from the miasma.

"Unless-" Olive was interrupted however; a purple portal of miasma appearing in the sky. Jellyfish-like enemies floated out of the small portal – their stingers glowing with blue electricity. Olive looked over at Corvus playfully before saying, "Word of advice: Stay out of the water."

The Yuke was about to reply but to no avail; she was already out and about, flipping around and stabbing whatever creature blocked her path. He was about to prepare a spell himself until he heard a faint scream, and a body crashed into him.

"Ugh, cheap shot, Plants." Corvus groaned underneath her, "Oh, sorry about that!" Olive quickly got back to her feet, and with whatever strength she could muster, tried to pull Corvus up. Instead, she merely fell back down on him. "Uh…"

"I'll just get up by myself, thank you," the Yuke said in reply. The brunette just nodded and quickly got back up – Corvus doing the same in quick succession. She giggled, before heading back out to fight – her dagger gleaming in the moonlight. He merely sighed before clicking his fingers together; a column of fire consuming one of the beasts. Five were left now – their bodies floating out of Olive's reach. In response, Corvus activated a spell of Gravity; the jellyfish crashing back down to the ground. The young Selkie smiled, before heading back towards their enemies.

It hadn't taken long really. They'd cover each other's weak spots – if someone was out of Olive's reach, a quick ball of lightning would strike the oncoming enemy. If Corvus was about to be hit in the back, Olive would quickly go to his side and parry whatever attack was approaching. When all was said and finished, they looked up towards the miasmic portal – wondering what they were going to do to close it.

"Why don't you blast it with light?" Olive asked.

"Y'sure I should do that? Didn't you say I shouldn't use the power of the crystals?"

"We don't need this to appear again. You know as well as I do that Layle could only temporarily close it. You however…" With a nod, Corvus started activating the power of the crystal inside him. Bright light traveled to the ominous portal of miasma before separating into tiny tendrils. They pulled the corners and in a few minutes, a tear appeared in the miasma before expanding. The smell of sulfur filled the air as the light conquered the dark.

"Nice job," Olive complimented, "Now what to do with that blonde guy over there?"

Corvus looked around the small warrior before saying, "We'll go with your plan… but would you mind carrying his sword? It looks heavy." Cloud's breathing was still calm – strangely undisturbed by the fighting that had taken place.

"Oh really? Ask the girl to do all of the heavy lifting why don't 'cha?" She looked at the Buster Sword in the sand, wondering how she was going to pick up the large blade. Deciding to just pick it up by the hilt, she yelped when she started tumbling to the ground – the sword having been too heavy for her. "How in the world does that guy lift this thing? Let alone wield it?"

"He'd probably tell you it wasn't that heavy."

"No way!"

"Well, we're not going to get to the cave by just standing here. Either pick up the sword or drag it, I'm going." A ball of wind appeared in Corvus's hand and slowly floated towards the warrior. It gracefully picked him up, and without further notice, the Yuke walked away – the wind following.

"Hey! You're not even picking anything up!" – Olive began tugging the sword towards Corvus – "Hey! Come back here you asshole!"

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><p><strong>AN:** I hope I confused you somewhere in this hunk of horrible writing. I admit, it's not that good - confusing too - but that was pretty much on purpose. This was more of a prologue than anything else...


	3. A Brief Interlude

**A/N: **Not an actual chapter… This'll explain exactly how Cloud came into the world of Crystal Chronicles – at least in greater detail. A slim paragraph doesn't actually seem to fit for mentioning the very name _Sephiroth._ This'll be an interlude among many…

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><p>A single black feather touched the Highwind's metallic hull. The faint humming of the engine became louder and louder – at least, to Yuffie. The young ninja was told to hide (much to her own protests) and slowly waited for the chaos happening on the outside deck. She could hear the grunts and the blistering laughs of the two clashing rivals - Buster Sword to Masamune.<p>

And then… the clings and clangs stopped suddenly. An uproar of "What's?" and "Where'd Cloud go?" filled the Highwind. Then screaming appeared. Had Sephiroth gotten to the others?

As if answering her question, a pale hand opened the door to the room Yuffie was hiding in. Masamune gleamed in the non-existent light. "Your leader isn't coming, unfortunately. How I would've loved to impale him with the Masamune," – Sephiroth laughed – "But wherever that portal took him better not give him back. I don't know how much trouble Gaia's Champion would be later on… but at least… he won't have any allies."

And blood splattered the floor.

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><p><strong>AN:** That came out… differently than I expected. xD I have no clue if Yuffie's actually dead though… so you may pretend she got away but is horribly injured…


End file.
